Palicoes are useful companions in Monster Hunter Rise that players can customize in a variety of ways. One opportunity for customization comes when selecting a Palico's Support Type, and indeed there are five to choose from. Those five Support Types in Monster Hunter Rise are Healer, Assist, Fight, Bombardier, and Gathering, and this guide will attempt to help those players that are unsure about exactly which one of these options they should select.

Before diving into the best Monster Hunter Rise Support Types, it is important to mention that players can recruit new Palicoes through the Buddy Scout in Buddy Plaza. Indeed, while it is not possible to change a Palico's Support Type, this feature means that fans can always switch to a companion that is suited for their needs at the time. As such, players need not be too concerned when selecting their first cat companion's Support Type, as that choice will not preclude them from trying out the others down the line.

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With that established, it is recommended that players that are new to the series make their initial Palico a Healer. While it is true that there are several ways to self-heal in Monster Hunter Rise, having a companion to assist with health management can go a long way as a fan familiarizes themselves with the game's controls. Of course, players should not expect a Healer Palico to be able to mitigate any amount of damage that they might take, and indeed some amount of caution is still required.

monster hunter rise palico support type

For those Monster Hunter Rise fans that have a bit more experience under their belts, the Assist Support Type may very well be the best. This specialization allows a Palico to set traps while also providing a Hunter with some useful buffs, including a stamina loss reduction, making it quite strong. These skillful players should also consider using a Gathering Palico when they are farming for materials, as that will expedite the process.

One final thing to note is that Palicoes can have Equipped Moves from Support Types that are not their own. This makes it possible for players to really zero in on their ideal companions, and perhaps that manifests as some hybrid of the Healing and Assist Support Types mentioned above. Fans are also free to try out various combinations of the Attack and Bombardier specializations if they are looking for a more offensive Palico to complement their Palamute in Monster Hunter Rise.

Monster Hunter Rise is currently available on Nintendo Switch, with a PC version coming in 2022.

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